Sewing machine



Nov. 21 1939. L H 1- L 2,180,423

' SEWING MACHINE Filed March 19, 19:57 8 Sheets-Sheet 1- Nova-1,1939. AM'NE'HAM E 2,180,423

SEWING MACHINE "FiledMa rch 19', 1937. Q-SneQtS-Sneet 5 Nov. 21. 1939. R; A. LINEHAM ET' AL I 2.1s0,423

SEWING MACHINE Fild l llarch 19', 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 21, 1939. R. A. LINEHAM ET AL SEWING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1937 l l I l l l T 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 21, 1939.

Was-s6 7M Rf A. LINEHAM ET AL SEWING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1957 a Sheets-Shet 7 w/wy Nov. 21, 1939. R A, UNEH M ETAL 2,180,423 SEWING MACHINE Filed March 19, 193? 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 flzz' 'j Patented Nov. 21, 1939 some momma Rowland Augustus Linehani and Frank Barton, Leicester, England, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 19, 1931, Serial No. 131,847

-m Great Britain April 28, 1936 30 Claims. (Q1. 112-42) This invention is concerned with iinpl'ove-' ments in or relating to sewing machines, and is particularly, but by no means exclusively concerned with facilitating the sewing together of the uppers and soles of turnshoes oiI the last, by the use of a curved hooked needle machine.

Experience in sewing turnshoes has hitherto indicated that, if use is made alone either of an external work support or an internal work support to support a shoe throughout the entire sewing operation therearound, difliculties are apt to arise during the sewing operation due, for example, to the fact that an external work support is liable to bend or distort the upper around the heel end of the shoe in an undesired manner over the sole during the feeding of the shoe past the support and to the fact that an intemal work support is liable, particularly when it is given substantial falling movements between successive stitches, to pull the shoe upper away from the sewing point as the sewing proceeds around the forepart ofthe shoe.

In the patent to Fred Ricks No. 2,067,649 dated. January ,12, 1937, there is disclosed an arrange- 5 ment of exchangeable internal and external work supporting devices which, with the object of allowing the said difliculties to be overcome, facilitates the use, during the sewing operation on the heel end and forepart portions, of a single shoe of eitherthe internal or external work support as may then seem most appropriate.

One of the various objects of the present invention is to provide, as an alternative arrangement to that last referred to, an external work supporting device for supporting a shoe during the whole of the sewing operation thereon, and which is of such a nature that such difiiculties as have been most commonly experienced hitherto when using external supports of usual types are obviated.

Further, when sewing together the uppers and soles of turnshoes by such curved needle machines as have been most generally used for this purpose, diiliculty has been experienced in controlling and supporting the margins of the sole and upper with suflicient accuracy to ensure that the needle is caused to penetrate the work at a constant short distance from the edge of the shoe bottom during the formation of successive stitches, and this is liable to give rise to the disadvantage that the seam is not spaced uniformly from the edge of the shoe bottom all around the shoe.

Another of the various objects of the present 5 invention is to provide means able to control and sole and possibly torn by the needle when the latter retreats from the work.

Still further objects of the present invention are to make provision, in a high speed sewing 15 machine embodying a-curved needle of relatively short radius, for ensuring that a looper for laying thread in a barb of the needle will, as it is actuated, move in such a path that its thread guiding eye will lay the thread unfailingly in the g barb and, where the feed of the work through a machine is eifected by a needle movable laterally through variable distances to effect this, to insure that a work-supporting foot for engaging the work close by the side of the needle shall al- 25 ways occupy a constant position by the side of the needle when the latter moves to penetrate the work in spite of any adjustment which may be made in the lateral position which the needle occupies at this time. 30

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates, inter alia, the provision in a curved needle sewing machine suitable for sewing together the uppers and soles of turnshoes, of a rising and falling external work 35 support which, as it falls to facilitate the feeding of the work through the machine. between successive stitches and, while the shoe is supported by the needle, moves also away from the shoe in a direction transversely to the path in which 40 it rises and falls so as to remove it entirely from contact with the shoe during the movement of the shoe past the work support; of a sole engaging foot for supporting the shoe against the upthrust of the external support, which foot is ar- 45 ranged normally to project between the margins of the upper and sole substantially right up to the edge of the sole and is so. mounted as to facilitate its withdrawal far enough from between the upper and sole as to permit the stitches 5o initially made in the upper and sole at the commencement of the seam to pass by the said foot, and once more to reach the sewing point as the end of the sewing operation is approached in order that the beginning and end of the seam may overlap somewhat to ensure the complete securing of the upper and sole together; of an upper pressing claw for engagement with the upper-at the opposite sides of the needle which claw moves laterally with the needle as the latteracts to feed the work, is raised and lowered to cause it to engage and retire from engagement with the margin of the upper and is locked against rising or falling movement once it has properly pressed the upper margin against the sole; of a pendulous looper arrangement which is so arranged that the thread guiding eye of the looper moves, in laying the thread in the barb of a curved needle of relatively short radius, in a path more or less perpendicularly to the direction in which the pointed end of the needle then extends; and of a mounting for the sole engaging foot which is carried upon a member movable laterally with the needle when the lateral position of the needle is adjusted to control the length of needle feed so that the said foot andneedle retain their lateral relation unaltered whatever he the length of needle feed, and of an upper pleating device, the position of which in the line of feed also can be adjusted simultaneously with the adjustment of the lateral position of the needle.

In order that the various objects and several features of the present invention (which latter are set forth in the appended claims) may be more fully understood, illustrative embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a machine embodying the several features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a right hand side view, partly in section, of the principal working parts of the machine;

Figure 3 is a right hand side view of certain upper pressing means;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts seen. in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a front view with the work shown in section, illustrating the relation of certain work supporting members i and other parts of the machine;

Figure 6 is a plan view of certain parts seen in Figure 5 with the sole engaging foot in a different position;

Figure '1 is a front view of the head of a second machine embodying certain features of the invention in a somewhat different form;

Figure 8 is a front view of certain parts of the machine illustrated in Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a right hand side view of a sole engaging foot hereinafter described and also seen in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a right hand side view of certain parts seen in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a right hand side view of a channel engaging foot and parts associated therewith and which will be hereinafter described;

Figure 12 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of external work supporting structure which may be used in the place of that illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 13 is a front view of the parts illustrated in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a detail plan view, partly in section, of certain of the parts illustrated in Figure 12; and

Figure 15 is adetail front view, partly in section, of certain of the link connections at the lower end of the work support.

The machine illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 in numerous respects is similar to that d sclosed in the patent hereinbefore referred to, the machine including a curved hook needle I of small radius,

needle guide 3, looper 6 and pleater i, all supcertain parts of the mechanism for automatically raising and lowering'the support for said devices in time relation to the progress of the sewing operation and for adjusting 1t heightwise of the machine are retained.

The machine illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 includes a bracket H having a vertical bore, a

vertical sleeve l3 normally stationary in said bore, a second sleeve IS in the sleeve i3 together with an adjusting screw l1 coupling the two sleeves together, a vertical spindle l9 in the sleeve IS, a cam lever 2| for imparting rising and falling movements to the spindle I9 in time relation to the formation of the stitches in the work and a rod 23, spring 25 and a cam lever 21 for transmitting the necessary rocking movements to the lever 2|. These parts are similar to the corresponding parts of the machine disclosed in said Patent No. 2,067,649. The sleeve I5 is coupled to a treadle to facilitate depression 'of the spindle IE to an unusually lowered position prior to, and at the end of the sewing operation on a shoe, to expedite the presentation of a shoe to the machine and its removal from the machine,'through means which may be assumed to be identical with that disclosed in said patent. The machine also includes an edge gauge 29 like that disclosed in said patent.

Instead, however, of the vertical spindle IQ of the present machine supporting a U-shaped member presenting both internal and external work-supporting devices, it has pivotedon its upper end, on coaxial pivot pins 3! extending.

transversely, i. e., widthwise of the machine, an external work support 33 only. This support is bowed rearwardly between its upper and lower ends and at its upper end has adjustably secured in a horizontal dovetail guideway extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, 9. rec-.

tangular block 35. The upper face of the block 35 normally extends in a horizontal plane, is

arranged to press a portion of the shoe upper A against the underface of the sole B and has teeth extending widthwise across it to enable it to grip the work the more firmly.

When the external work support 33 is in its operative position, the vertical axis of its supporting spindle passes through the central portion of the block 35, the rear end of which is arranged to provide but a relatively small gap between it and the operative face of the edge gauge 29. By slackening a set screw which clamps the block in its guideway, the block may be adjusted rearwardly to'support thetwork as close up to the edge gauge as circumstances may permit. The axis 31 about whichthe needle rocks to pierce the work also lies in the same vertical plane, looked at from the side of the machine, as the axis of the vertical spindle l9 and, there fore, the block 35 will afford; support. to the work over substantially equal areas both'forwardly and.

rearwardly of the needle axis, this ensuring that the work will be well supported both in the locality where the needle strikes into the work and where it emerges through it.

If the block 35 on the support 33 were allowed to retain the forward and rearward position indieated when the spindle is lowered in each machine eyeleto facilitate the feeding of the work through the machine by the needle, it would be likely to happen that, asthe work is moved from right to left through the machine, the block would engage a depending portion of the upper, though not clamping it against the sole, in such a manner that it would tend to sweep the upper continually towards the right relatively to the sole, and this would considerably increase the dimculty of sewing the upper accurately to the' sole, particularly around the heel end of the shoe where the upper may be relatively stiff owing to the presence of a back seam. With a view to eliminating this possibility, the external'support 33 is arranged to be swung rearwardly, as it descends, to such an extent that the block 35 is dle l9 and thus both to' limit the extent to which the support 33 can swing forwardly about its a pivot and to afford support to the support 33 against downward thrust thereon.

Near their forward ends the toes 39 have 'a horizontal pin 4! passing transversely across. them, whichpin has a cam roll 43 freely mounted thereon between the toes so as to engage in.a

cam slot 45 formed along the upper end of a which are secured in the bifurcated forward end of a lever 55, which extends rearwardly past the opposite sides of the spindle-l9 and is pivotally mounted on a horizontal transverse pin 51 fixed in the upper end of the normally fixed sleeve l5 rearward of the pivot pin 49 for the cam plate 41. The lever 55 extends rearwardly of its pivot pin 51 and at its rear end is pivotally connected to a depending and rearwardly bowed link 59 which is pivoted at its lower end on a transverse horizontal pin 6| secured in ears 63 projecting from the normally fixed sleeve l3, said pin also serving as a pivot for the upper link 65 of a toggle device 65, 51 similar to the toggle device disclosed in Patent No. 2,067,649. The distances from the forward and rearward ends of the lever 55 to the pivot pin 51 are proportional to the distances from the forward and rearward ends of the cam lever 2| to the pivot 69 for that lever so that.

vertical adjustment of the sleeve l5 carrying the pivots 51, 69, e. g. to suit the height of the external support 33 as may be required for different wise position during thic of work, will not cause the cam plate 4'! to rock angularlyabout its pivotal connection with the spindle I.

When the external work support 33 is in its normal operative position; the roll 43 between the toes 39 of the work support lies near the rear end of the slot 45,this being the position the roll occupies when the support isin raisedposition pressing, the work upwardly against a sole-engaging foot ll hereinafter described during'the piercing of the work by the needle I. When, however, the spindle I9 is drawn downwardly, afterv the needle has pierced the work, to release the upward pressure of the support on the work to enable the needle to feed the work through themachine the more easlly ,the pivot pin 49 which onnects the cam plate 41' to the spindle l9 moves downwards simultaneously with the external support. The

pin 5i which passes through the forward portion] ofthe cam plate and is supported'by the lever 55, however, remains in relatively fixed heightthe rising" and falling movements of the spindle.

" Therefore as the spindle descends the cam plate rocks simultaneously rearwardly. During' the greater portion of the downward movement of the external support 33, a portion of the cam slot which is concentric about the pivot for the cam plate moves rearwardly along the roll 43 between the toes 39 of the external support and maintains the latter in its normal upwardly extending position. Just before the work support reaches. its fully-lowered position, however (e. g. when it has descended some half an inch) a straight portion at the forward end of the cam slot commences to move pastthe roll 43. When this commences, the cam plate will have been swung so far rearwardly that this straight portion lies at a considerable angle (e. g. an angle of some thirty or more degrees to the horizontal) and during the concluding portion of the downward movement of the work support and spindle, the cam plate rocks rearwardly a further dis,

tance suflicient to raise the roll 43 in the toes of the support a substantial distance and thus to rock the work support rearwardly about the pivot pin 3| which connects .it tothe spindle l9. The

proportions and sizes of the various parts may conveniently be such that the support is first caused to descend in a vertical path, indicated at X in Figure 2, for some half an inch and then. with but little further descent, is caused to mov rearwardly in a substantially horizontal path, indicated at Y, some three quarters of an inch or so, theupper end of the work support actually passing rearwardly between and being shrouded by bifurcated lower portions of the edge gauge 29.

The pivot 3l-on which the support swings is provided by a pair of pins projecting outwardly fro-mthe opposite sides of the bifurcated lower portion of the support 33, and positioned rearwardly of the position which the work engaging end occupies when the work support is in operative position, and this fact causes the work engaging end to rise somewhat as it swings rearspindle I9 is raised to lift the work support, the

first action of the rising spindle is to cause the 0am plate 41 to rock forwardly and thus to swing the support from its rearwardly canted position forwardly into its upright position, it being then raised vertically to press the work against the sole-engaging foot H. swings forwardly and rises, its work engaging end follows the same right-angle path as it describes when the spindle is lowered. I

By thus arranging for the work support to retire rearwardly during its descent and to swing forwardly during its ascent, the result is likely to be achieved that no contact between the support and work occurs during the feeding of the work by the needle, thus obviating any tendency for the support to sweep or fold the upper in an undesired manner on to the sole, and that, as the work engaging end of the support swings forwardly prior to engaging the upper after the feeding of the work, it will assume a convenient position relatively to the shoe upper which will enable it, when it rises into contact with the upper. to press flat against the sole that particular portion of the upper which is next to be sewn to the sole.

The fact that the actual work engaging face of the support extends substantially up to the work contacting face of the edge gauge ensures that the margin of the work will be firmly supported substantially right up to the edge thereof thus preventing downward bending of the margin by thework-penetrating action of the needle and assisting in the formation of the seam on the work at a constant short distance away from the edge of the shoe bottom.

The sole-engaging foot ll previously referred to, against which the work is pressed upwardly by the work support, is arranged more or less directly over the work engaging face of the latter and its lower face provides a work-engaging face lying parallel with that of the work support. The foot is formed on the lower end of a stem 73 which extends upwardly and forwardly away from the foot at an angle of about thirty degrees to the vertical, it actually being carried on the lower end of an upstanding lever 15 which is normally latched rigidly in a fixed position. In order to support the foot 1| on the lever 15 and to provide capacity for adjusting the foot relatively thereto in various senses, the lower end of the lever has a relatively long horizontal bore extending forwardly and rearwardly through it in which is slidingly mounted a shank 11 of a carrier block 19 for the foot. This block is secured on the forward end of the shank TI and has a pair of upwardly extending ears 8| formed on it, which ears are spaced apart and closely embrace the opposite sides of a fin 83, extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, on the lever 75, this arrangement preventing rotation of the block 19 about the axis of the shank ll while providing capacity for forward and rearward sliding ad justment thereof. The block 19 has a T-shaped guideway extending horizontally and transversely across it in which guideway is housed a slide 85 carrying on its forward side a slideway 8'1 extending, at right angles to the T-shaped guideway, upwardly and forwardly at an angle of some thirty degrees to the vertical.

The stem 13 of the sole engaging foot H is received within the slideway 81 and a clamping bolt 89' passing through a slot in the stem and into the slide 85 provides a means whereby the foot may be clamped rigidly in position after the foot has been adjusted either laterally or heightwise to suit any particular kind of work. The stem 13 of the foot has a horizontal groove extending transversely across its rear face near As the work support' greases its upper end and a stud 9!, arranged parallel to the stem and having a peripheral flange engaging in said groove, threaded into the block it may be rotated to adjust the heightwise position of the foot when the said clamping bolt 89 has been loosened. The path which the point of the needle makes just as it emerges through the work at the end of its work penetrating stroke extends forwardly and upwardly more or less parallel to the stem of the foot and by arranging for the foot to be adjusted upwardly and downwardlly at the angle indicated there is provided a means whereby adjustment in the heightwise position of the foot may take place without causing a portion of the foot extending across the front of the needle to move forwardly or rearwardly to any marked extent relatively to the part of the needle which emerges through the work, thus allowing the foot to engage the work as close as possible to the needle in spite of the adjustment of the foot.

As seen from above, the foot ll is somewhat L-shaped in plan, it having a rearwardly extending portion arranged to lie close by the right hand side of the needle, as the latter pierces the work, with its left hand edge substantially parallel to the plane in which the needle rocks and another portion, lying substantially perpendicularly to the first mentioned portion, arranged to extend towards the left of the machine so far that its left hand end lies almost in the same plane, considered forwardly and 'rearwardly of the machine, as the needle when the latter has moved as far over towards the left as it can in feeding the work. The rearward edge of this second portion of the foot lies parallel to the path of work feed, and is arranged to lie as close as possible to the position at which the needle emerges through the work so that the work is supported from above by the foot both as close as possible to the position at which the needle pierces the work and at the position at which the needle emerges through it, thus affording support to the work in places where such support is likely to be most advantageous. Both portions of the foot have a substantial area .of contact with the sole to increase the efficiency of the foot in determining the heightwise position of the sole.

The rearwardly extending portion of the foot is arranged, as indicated in Figures 2 and 5, actually to project between the sole and the margin of the upper which is laid over the latter (it being sufliciently thin not to separate the upper appreciably from the sole) so as to afford the maximum support to upward bending of the margin of the sole and is preferably arranged to extend so far rearwardly as to lie near the edge of the sole when the shoe is in contact with the edge gauge. The vertical axis of the external support is displaced a short distance towards the right, looking at the machine from the front, from the plane in which the needle will lie at the end of its work-feeding movement, and owing to this fact, the work engaging face thereof will normally lie more or less directly beneath portions of the sole-engaging faces of the two portions of the sole-engaging foot, the overall length and width of the lower face of the foot being somewhat greater than that of the work engaging face of the block 35. Therefore, when the external support has risen to clamp the work against the sole engaging foot, the work will be clamped on both its upper and under faces between members which engage the work over extensive areas, hold its margin horizontally and against bending upwardly or downwardly, and maintain it in such a constant and predetermined position relative to the points at which the needle strikes into and emerges from the work that a seam, of constant width, is likely to be formed on the work at a .constant distance from the edge thereof.

As has been stated, the rearwardly extending portion of the sole engaging footextends rearwardly near to the operative face of the edge gauge, and since it is usually desirable that the .end of the seam on the shoe may overlap the beginning somewhat to ensure that the upper will be adequately secured to the sole all around the latter, means is provided in the present illustrative machine for withdrawing the sole-engaging foot so far forwardly, when the beginning stitches of a seam once more approach the sewing point near the end of the sewing operation, that the beginning stitches may pass freely past the rear end of the rearwardly extending portion of the foot without being obstructed thereby.

For this purpose the block 19 which carries the sole-engaging foot is arranged to he slid for-- wardly relatively to the lever 15 which carries it and has a pair of recesses 93 formed in its opposite sides near to its upper face into which extend the lower and rounded bifurcated ends of a bell crank lever 95. This bell crank lever is mounted on the block-carrying lever 15 on a horizontal transversely extending pivot pin 91. A rearwardly extending arm 99 of this bell crank lever is coupled to the upper end of a downwardly extending link IOI which is pivotally coupled at itslower end to the forward end of a pivoted lever I03 which is arranged to be raised and lowered by the engagementof a pin I05 which it carries in a slotted cam member I01, secured to a rock shaft I09 to which rock shaft is also secured a hand lever I09 by the actuation of which the slotted cam member I01 may be rocked forwardly and rearwardly. This hand lever is acted upon by a toggle spring I I0, and its movements in each direction are limited by stop shoulders at the rear end of the lever engaging a pin I I2 mounted in the frame of the'machine.

At the commencement of the sewing operation on a shoe and almost until the completion of the sewing operation, the hand lever I09 will occupy a raised position and the cam member I01 will occupy a backwardly canted position in which a raised portion of the cam slot therein engages the pin I05. The lever carrying the pin I05 will, therefore, also occupy a raised position about its pivot and the bell crank lever 95 to which it is coupled and which is connected to the block 19 supporting the sole engaging foot Ii will occupy a position about its pivot 97 in which its lower end is swung rearwardly, the sole engaging foot at this time lying in the fore and aft position indicated in Figure 2 in which the rearward end of its right hand portion extends near to the edge of the sole. That portion of the pin I05 which extends within the cam slot in the slotted cam member I0! is formed as an eccentric portion of a stud III whichis rotatably mounted in the lever I03 and by rotating the stud II I the height- .wise position of the stud and, therefore, of the lever I03 which carries it, can be varied to adjust the precise forward and rearward position of the sole engaging foot as may seem desirable for any particular kind of work.

The foot is allowed to remainin this position until, near the end of the sewing operation, the first stitches made at the beginning of the seam once more approach the sewing point. In order to allow these stitches to pass by the rear end of the foot, and in order that the foot may still give very effective support to the work during the formation of the last few stitches the operator then swings the hand lever I09 controlling the slotted cam plate I01 downwardly and thus causes a lowered portion of the cam slot therein to engage the pin I05. This results in a short forward swinging movement being imparted to the downwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever 95 controlling the foot and results in the foot being drawn horizontally forward along the sole a distance suflicient to cause its rear end to lie somewhat forwardly of thoseportions of the thread uniting the upper and sole at the beginning of the seam which pass downwardly through 4 the margin of the upper and into the sole. The position of the foot at this time is indicated in Figure 6. When the foot has been moved to this position, the shoe may be fed along by the needle during the formation, of the few remainin cludes a pleater I like that disclosed in Patent No. 2,067,649 and actuated by similar mechanism. Stated briefly, the pleater withdraws from over the work just about'as the needle commences to move laterally to feed the work, advances again to form a pleat on the work just about as the needle reaches the end of its work-feeding movement and remains in its advanced position until the needle, after having retired from the work and moved idly towards the right, pierces the pleat formed by the pleater at which time the pleaterretlres from over the work. The pleater advances over, and forms the pleatagainst the right hand portion of the sole-engaging foot, as indicated in the drawings, the heightwise position of the pleater being conveniently adjusted to allow for the thickness of this portion of the foot lying between the sole and upper, by rotation of a vertical sleeve II3 supporting the guideway Ill in which it reciprocates, said sleeve being threaded into a flxed,portion of the machine frame.

In order that the sole engaging foot may support the work most effectively against being moved forwardly by the action of the needle as it pierces the work, the underface of the foot conveniently has a number of serrations formed transversely across its work engaging face and a small downwardly and rearwardly extending tooth II5 projecting from it which is arranged to dig slightly into the sole to hold it more or less and leather soles, the soles of which are not provided with channel lips to which the uppers are to be sewn.

. For use on shoes having soles, e. g. leather soles,

having channels and channel lips it may be desirable to use in place of the sole enga in foot II a channel guide to enter the channel and thereby both so to guide the work that the needle will pass through the upper and channel lip and also to support the sole against the upthrust o the external support. The edge gauge 29 is then no longer needed and may be pushed rearwardly'to an inoperative position after a clamping bolt has been loosened.

To this end the sole engaging foot TI may readily be removed from the machine when the bolt 89 which secures its stem to its supporting slide 85 is released and a channel guide, having a stem of the same shape and size as that of the sole-engaging foot, may be secured to the slide in its place. At its lower end the channel 'uide stem is shaped similarly to the channel guide shown in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings and is turned rearwardly and slightly downwardly to provide the channel guide proper, and the rear end of the guide, which is arranged to engage in the channel and to abut against the root of the channel lip,is arranged to lie just to the right of [the position where the needle penetrates the Work and, as seen from the side of the machine, is arlarrged to lie directly below the axis about which the needle rocks. This latter fact ensures that the shoe will be presented in the desired position forwardly and rearwardly of the machine for the needle to strike through the margin of the upper and the root of the channel lip.

When using such a channel guidefor supportingand guiding the work it is desirable that the guide be moved slightly forwardly in each cycle, before the needle commences to move laterally to feed the work, in order to facilitate the movement of the work through the machine. For this purpose, the lever I which supports the sole engaging foot -II is arranged, when the channel guide has been substituted for the foot, to be released from its normally latched condition and to be subjected to the action of a cam which thereupon allows its upper end, under the action of a spring, to rock rearwardly slightly about a pivot I ll at the appropriate time and, therefore, to move the channel guide slightly forwardly. The said pivot for the lever extends transversely of the machine, substantially mid-way between the upper and lower ends of the lever I5 and the pin which connects the bell crank lever 95 to the downwardly extending link It! normally occupies a position in which it lies coaxially with the pivot Ill for the lever I5 so that the rocking movements of the latter will not cause any angular disturbance of the bell crank lever 95 about its.

pivot 91 and, therefore, disturb the forward an rearward setting of the channel guide. At its upper end the lever I5 has pivoted to it arod H9 extending forwardly and upwardly of the machine which passes in front of the lever through a lug I2I extending upwardly from a fixed bracket 7 I23 on the machine frame. A spring I25 housed between the rear face of the lug I2I and a shoulder on the rod II9 tends to urge the upper end of the lever rearwardly I5 normally latched in relatively fixed position.

The lever is maintained in this condition when the sole-engaging foot is present in the machine but when the channel guide has been substituted for the latter,-the head I21 on the upper end of the rod 9 is rotated through ninety degrees so that the tongues I29 thereon may enter rearwardly extending gashes I3I cut in the lug and thus allowthe spring to urge the upper end of the lever rearwardly, and thereto to move the channel guide forwardly at the appropriate time. At its upper end the lever I5 also carries a cam roll I33 which is engaged by the periphery of a cam I34 on the main shaft I35 of the machine. The periphery of this cam is, for the greater part, concentric about the axis of its shaft but in an appropriate place thereon has a shallow depression therein which, when the spring I25 is allowed to act on the lever I5, allows the upper end of the lever to swing rearwardly, and therefore allows the channel guide to move forwardly, a small distancejust before the needle, having penetrated the work, commences to move laterally. In order to limit the extent to which the lever I5 so swings an adjustable stop screw I31 passing through the fixed bracket I23 is arranged to contact with the forward face of the lower portion of the lever. Obviously before the head I21 on the rod H9 is turned, the lever I5 is prevented from swinging about its pivot even when the depression in the cam I3d comes opposite to it.

Thus, the machine is provided with convenient means whereby the sole-engaging foot may readily be replaced by a channel guide when desired and whereby a lever for carrying the foot or the guide may be held against rocking movement when the lever supports the foot and may be released for cam actuated rocking movement when the channel guide has been, assembled on the lever.

The upper pressing claw 9 hereinbefore referred to assistsin controlling the heightwise position of the work and. presses the margin of the upper firmly against the sole both when the needle strikes into the work and when it retreats from the latter. This upper pressing claw, as illustrated, comprises a member which, when looked at in plan, is narrow and substantially U-shaped with its limbs extending forwardly of the machine (see Figures 3 and 4) to engage the work close against the right and left hand sides of the needle. When using the U-shaped claw d, the

sole-engaging foot or channel guide must be ad- "justed so far toward the right of the machine as to provide room between it and the needle for the right hand limb of the claw 9 to lie in.

The forward ends of the limbs of the claw lie, as seen from the side of the machine, slightly rearwardly of the axis about which the needle rocks and the claw is, therefore, arranged, in

the manner hereinafter described, to press against the margin of the upper from the edge of the shoe well forwardly over the margin. The upper pressing claw extends substantially horizontally, rearwardly from its forward ends just over the top of the edge gauge 29 and is fixed, just behind the latter and substantially on the same level as the needle axis, on the right hand end of a horizontal transversely extending rod III which is slidable axially in a sleeve bearing formed in the forward end of a short forwardly and rearwardly extending lever I43. This lever extends rearwardly and slightly 'downwardly from its forward end to a fixed transversely extending horizontal pin I45 on which it'is pivoted.

Rearwardly of this pin, the lever extends upwardly and rearwardly and its rear end is slotted to receive a block I41 pivoted on the forward end of a cam-actuated lever I49 hereinafter described. 75

the left of its bearing sleeve, .a short vertical link I5I which, at its upper end, encircles a short rod I53 lying parallel to the rod MI and secured in a pair. of spaced ears I55 projecting forwardly from a short link I51 extending rearwardly parallel to the forward portion of the lever I48, said link being pivotally mounted at its rear end on a fixedtransversely extending pin I59 positioned over the pin I45 on which the lever I43 is pivoted.

This arrangement, therefore, provides a parallel linkage by which the upwardand downward movements of the upper pressing claw take place without causing its work pressing face to deviate out of its normal horizontal position.

It is desired that the claw, the two limbs of which, as above stated, lie close against the opposite sides of the needle, should move laterally with 4 the latter as the latter feeds the work and while the claw is pressing against the overlying margin of the upper. For this purpose, the rod I4I extends so far over towards the left of the machine as to lie behind the lower end of a lever I5I which, throughmechanism similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,067,649 imparts the lateral movements to the needle I, the rod I4! lying substantially in the same horizontal plane as the needle axis. The lower end of the lever IIiI embraces the opposite sides of a trunnion block I63 mounted on the needle actuating shaft and this trunnion block has extending rearwardly from it a pin I55 which enters a hole in a' block I81 slidably between vertical ears I69 formed on the forward side of the short link I5hwhich is secured on the rod MI, and by this means the claw 9 is caused to move to and fro laterally with the needle.

The upper-pressing claw 9' is arranged to descend upon the work, before the needle piercesit,

to press the portions of the margin of the upper close against the opposite sides of the needle firmly against the sole and to assist in supporting .the margins of the upper and sole against being bent upwardly, then to move laterally with the needle, while still bearing on the upper face of the work, as the latter feeds the work, to remain pressing the upper against the sole as the needle retreats from the work to support the margin of the upper against being torn or raised away from I the sole by the barb of the needle, and finally to rise away from contact with the upper after the needle has retired from the work and'to move idly back towards the right with the latter preparatory to the formation of another stitch.

For the purpose of actuating the claw to press on the margin of the upper in a firm, but yielding, manner, the. cam-actuated lever I49 which acts at its forward end on the lever I43 carrying the claw extends rearwardly from its connection with the lever I43 and is pivoted near its rear end on a fixed transversely extending rod I". The rear end of the lever I43 carries a cam roll I13 engaging the periphery of a cam on the cam shaft of the machine. The lever I49 actually comprises two parts, both being pivoted on the rod "I, one. I15 extending forwardly from the rod, and the other I11, which carries the cam roll I13,

I face of the bracket II.

the other half and prevents either rearwardly extending part I11 until a stop face 10 I on the forwardly extending part projecting between the lugs I19, I8I abuts against an adjustable .set screw threaded into the upper lug the rearwardly extending part' I11 of the lever I49 effected by the cam, imparts a yielding upward movement to the forward part I15 of the By this means downward rocking movement of 15 lever and thus urges the claw 9 yieldingly but 20 firmly down against the work.

During the downward movement of the rear Dart I11 of the lever I49 under the action of its cam, the latter first commences to raise the forward part I15 of the lever through the spring plunger I83 in the latter and thereby to urge the 25 claw 9 yieldingly but firmly against the upper. The rear part I11 of the lever thereafter continues to descend and the screw in the upper lug I19 on the latter, commences to ride away from contact with the stop face I85 on, the forward part I15 30 of the lever as the spring behind the spring pressed plunger I83 continues to yield.

In case it should be desired to retain the soleengaging foot 1| previously described, as close against the right hand side of the needle as pos- 35 sible, i. e., in case it is preferred not .to move it towards the right to make room for the right hand limb of the claw 9, the latter may have its right hand limb removed so as to obviate the necessity for the foot II to be removed towards the right far enough to make room for this limb. In order to prevent undesirable particles of material such as fiufi or dust which are formed during the sewing operation from falling into and clogging the mechanism at the base of the external work support 33 there is provided a guard I81 at the last mentioned locality. The guard I81 is formed in two parts which are each supported on the upper end of a slide I89 secured for vertical sliding movement on the forward Pins I 9| extending rearwardly of the machine from the upper end of the slide I89 form pivots upon which the two parts of the guard may pivot to each side of the work support when it is desired to inspect the mechanism they normally shroud. As seen in Figure 1, bosses formed on the forward end'of the lever 55 engage in slots cut in upstanding webs I93 on the slide I89, thereby causing the slide and the guard it carries to rise or fall with the forward end of the lever 55 as the work support rises or falls due to breaking of the toggle device 85, 51 or to adjustment of the screw I1. A leaf spring I95 secured to one half of theguard I81 engages part from unintentional separation about the pivots I9I.

Since the machine comes to rest with the pleater 1 advanced to a position in which its for,- ward end lies over and almost in contact with the sole-engaging foot H and in which position of the pleater presentation of a shoe to the machine may be difficult, means is provided for causing the pleater 1 to be retracted to a position away from over the sole engaging foot at the same time as the work support is lowered for the presentation of a shoe to the machine by the operator. This means comprises a lever I91 which extends rearwardly from a short shaft I99 which is secured in the lever I91 and also in the lower end of the lower member 61 of the toggle device 65, 61. At its rear end, the lever 191 is connected to the lower end of a substantially vertical rod 201 which, at its upper end is pivotally connected to crank lever extends upwardly and has a rearwardly directed face thereon which contacts with a transversely extending pin 2 secured near the lower end of a depending pleater operating cam lever 2i3. The said cam lever 2l3 is con nected at its lower end by means of a ball joint tothe rear end of a forwardly and rearwardly extending rod 2I5 which, at its forward end is connected by a universal joint to a slide 2 I 1 which carries the pleater 1 and is slidable in the guideway H4 aforementioned.

As has been previously mentioned, the pleater normally occupies its forward position when the machine comes to rest, but when the lower member 61 of the toggle device aforementioned is caused to swing about the axis of the rod I99 to break the toggle device and lower the work support 33 for the presentation of a shoe to the machine, the lever l91 is also swung downwardly and through the rod 20l and lever 203 causes the bell crank lever 209 to be swung in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2. As the bell crank lever 209 so swings the rearwardly directed face aforementioned on the upwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever engages the pin 2H and causes the cam lever 213 to be swung rearwardly against the action of a spring 219 coupled to it to withdraw the pleater to a position well removed from that which it would normally occupy, thus allowing of the easy presentation of a shoe to the machine.

Referring now to the embodiment of the several features of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 to 11, the machine illustrated in these figures is similar in many respects to that disclosed in the patent to BatesNo. 1,898,521 dated February 21, 1933. In embodying, in a machine of the type disclosed in this patent, supporting and ac- -tuating mechanism for a needle of relatively short radius, it has been found desirable to modify the looper mechanism so as to cause its thread guiding eye to move, as it loops the needle, in a path more nearly perpendicular to the end of the needle protruding through the work. Accordingly, in the machine illustrated in Figures 7 to 11, a looper mechanism is provided which comprises, as seen in Figures '7 and 10, a bell crank lever 25f operated by a cam 253 and a lever 255 mounted on the bell crank lever 25! and operated by another cam 251 on the cam shaft of the machine. Instead of mounting the looper directly upon the lever 255, the looper is carried at the 'lower end of a pendulous lever 259 to which the lever 255 is connected by a ball joint coupling 26l arranged forwardly of the pivotal connection of the lever 255 with the lever 25l and near the lower end of the pendulous lever 259. The pendulous lever 259 extends substantially vertically, considered both forwardly and rearwardly, and

laterally of the machine, and at its upper'end is connected, by a pivot 263 extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, to the right hand end of a transversely extending horizontal rod 265 which is mounted, with freedom for rotation, in a bearing in a fixed bra'cket 261. Towards its lower end the lever has secured in ears thereon a pin 269 which lies perpendicularly to the downwardly and forwardly sloping lever 255 and this pin has a spherical sleeve portion 21l slidably mounted between its ends which is embraced by a spherical seating formed in a member 213 secured in. the forward end of the lever 255. The lower end of the pendulous lever 259 has secured to it by.means of a bolt 215 a downwardly extending looper 211 which is curved rearwardly towards its thread-guiding eye 219 which latter normally lies slightly rearwardly of the vertical plane containing the pivot rod 265 at the upper end of the lever 259. By reason of this arrangement, rocking of the bell crank lever '25I will impart forward and rearward movement to the thread-guiding eye 219 of the looper 211 and-lateral rocking movement of the lever 255 will impart the desired lateral movement to the threadguilding eye. As the levers 251 and 255 cooperate to move the thread-guiding eye 219 to-lay the thread in the needle barb, the pendulous lever 259 swings both laterally and forwardly and rearwardly about its upper end and the thread-guiding eye moves in a curved path which neither rises nor falls appreciably considered either forwardly and rearwardly or laterally of the machine, i. e., the eye moves, in passing around the needle, ina path which remains substantially in a horizontal plane. Since the pointed end of the needle above the barb will be extending upwardly more or less vertically at the time of looping, the thread guiding eye 219 of the looper 211 will move more or less perpendicularly to this portion of the needle, the lower end of the eye actu- 'ally passing just below the barb, and will therefore lay the thread around the needle in such a manner that it can hardly fail to be properly pulled rearwardly through the workby the barb as the needle retreats through the work.

Conveniently, since there exists but little room, owing to the shortness of the needle radius, between the point of the needle I and the sector 28! to which the latter is secured within which the eye of the looper may dwell as the sector swings forwardly to retract the needle from the work, the cams 253, 251 controlling the looper are so shaped that the eye 219 of the looper is moved sufficiently far forwardly and towards the right in looping the needle. that, at the time when the sector starts to swing forwardly, the eye of the looper'lies in front and to the right of the sector and is, therefore, not liable to be struck by it. Moreover, in order that the looper may direct the thread in the most desirable manner as the needle pulls the needle loop through the work, the cams are so shaped that the eye of the looper moves to a position in front of the needle soon after the needle has commenced to retire from the work and thus causes the thread extending from the looper to the needle to extend in a path lying substantially in the plane in which the needle lies.

The mechanism for actuating the needle of the machine illustrated in Figures 7 to 11 is generally similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,067,649. The mechanism for moving the needle laterally of the machine to effect the feeding of the work, however, includes an adjustable linkage arrangement interposed between a cam lever 283 and a link 285 (Figure 8) which transmits the movements of said lever to a needle carriage 288, which linkage arrangement is connected to a treadle by which it can be adjusted during the operation of the machine to vary the extent of the work feeding movements of the,

needle and, therefore, the length of the stitches made in the work. Depression of the treadle serves to vary the position laterally of the machine which the needle occupies when it strikes into the work, the needle reaching a constant position towards the left at the end of its feeding movement whatever be the length of stitch it makes in the work. The treadle is actually connected through a treadle rod 281 to one arm 289 of a bell crank lever secured on the rear end of a forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 29I, the other arm 293 of said bell crank lever supporting a pivoted link 295 which, at its opposite end is connected to the right hand end portion of the jointed link 285, and also to another link 291 connected to an arm on the cam lever 283 forming a connection between the cam lever 283 and the jointed link 285 connected to the needle carriage 286. The connection of the jointed link 285 to the needle carriage 286 comprises an arm 299 depending from and fixedly secured to the rear end of a forwardly and rearwardly extending rock shaft 30l, the lower end of said arm being connected to the right hand end portion of the jointed link 285. Depending from and fixed to the forward end of the rock shaft 30| is another arm 303 which at its lower end is forked to embrace thev opposite sides of a square block 305 rotatably secured on a pin 301 fixed in the feed carriage 285. As the jointed link 285 is reciprocated transversely of the machine by the cam lever 283, as hereinbefore described, the lever 303 will be rocked to and fro to impart through the feed carriage 288 the work feeding movements to the needle I. Rocking of the bell crank lever 289, 293 through the treadle adjusts the position of the pivoted link 295, and by the consequent variationcin the direction in which the latter is swung by the cam lever 283 through the link 291, varies the extent of lateral movement imparted to the needle.

To limit the rocking movement of the shaft 29|, and thus the extent of the feeding movement imparted to the needle, an arm 323 is secured to the forward end of the shaft 29l and is arranged to move between a pair of spaced pins 325 plugged into two of a series of holes 321 of the fixed sector 329 on the machine frame. By means of this arm, 323, pins 325 and sector 329, the extent of rocking movement 'of the needie may be limited by the operator as may be deemed most suitable for the particular requirement then existing.

When an adjustment is made in the extent of the feeding movement imparted to the needle,

it is desirable that a corresponding adjustment of the'sole engaging foot 33| and also of the pleater 1 be made in the line of feed, in order to maintain these parts in the most advantageous position with relation to the needle. To this end the machine is provided with a bracket 309 slidably mounted on the frame of the machine so as to be movable back and forth in the direction of feed. This bracket is provided with an extension 3| 3 which is adjustable back-and forth in the direction of feed on the bracket. A pin.-

3 extends rearwardly fromthe extension 3|3 and engages a. slot 30| formed in a cam memher 3l9 secured to the arm 323 which,as above stated, is rigidly secured to the adjusting rock shaft 29|. The arrangement thusis such that when the shaft 29| is rocked to adjust the extent of needle feed, the bracket 809 is also moved laterally of themachine, a distance substantially equal to the lateral displacement of the needle effected by the rocking of the shaft, the movement of the bracket 309 taking place in the same direction as the movement of the needle. .The initial position of the bracket 308 can be varied by means of the adjustable connection between the extension 3| 3 and the bracket 309, which adjustable connection comprises an eccentric pin 3l5 mounted in the extension 3|3 and carrying a block engaging a vertical slot in the bracket 309. After adjustment, the extension is locked needle I as does the sole engaging foot 1|. By reason of the fact that the bracket 309 is adjusted laterally with the needle on depression of the treadle torvary the stitch length the result is obtained that the sole engaging foot-33| retains its position close against the needle in spite of the adjustment in the lateral position ofthe latter, thus giving the advantage that whatever be the length of stitch being made, the sole engaging foot will-always support the work as, close to the side of the needle as possible. The sole engaging foot 33| is adjustably mounted upon a second bracket 333, secured by means of a horizontal transversely extending bolt 334 to a face formed on the left hand side of the bracket 309, in a similar manner to that in which the ,339 to a small bell crank lever 34| coupled by a position close by the right hand side of the a rod 343 to the lever (see Figure 2) which is arranged to be raised and lowered by rocking movement of the cam plate |01 controlled by the hand lever I09. A second pin 345 lying parallel with and above the pin 335 is located between two sides of a slot in the upper face of the bracket 333 and prevents the block 331 from t about the axis of the pin 335. Another pin 341 projecting from the face on the bracket 309 to which the bracket 333 is secured, into a slot formed in the bracket 333 serves to locate the latter in correct relation to the bracket 309. By the aforementioned means, the foot 33| can be moved forwardly in a manner similar to the foot 1| previously mentioned to allow the initial stitches of a seam to pass by its rearward end to facilitate the overlapping of the beginning and end of the seam at the completion of the sewing operation. It will, of course, be understood that the sole engaging foot 33| normally extends rearwardly close against both the edge soles the sole engaging foot 33| may be removed from the bracket 309 by the unclamping of the bolt 334 which secures the bracket 333 and thus also the foot 33| to the bracket 309 and a channel guide holder 349 (see Figure 11) may be secured to the block 399 in its place by means of a stud 35!, which takes the place of the bolt 334,

in such a manner that it may rock about a trans- 5 verse axis.

The stud 35! is rotatable within the bore into which the'bolt 334 had previously passed and has an eccentric left hand end portion which is clamped by means of a small bolt 353 within a 19 bore formed in the holder 349. The channel guide holder has a downwardly extending bore formed in it into which passes the stem of a channel guide 355, A nut 351 threaded upon the upper end of the stem of the channel guide and located between the sides of a slot cut in the holder 349 provides an adjustment whereby the channel guide may be set to any desired heightwise position, a set screw 359 serving to maintain such adjustment upon being tightened upon 20 the stem of the channel guide.

Projecting from the holder 349 is a short rearwardly and upwardly extending arm 36! the upper end of which is slotted to house a rectangular block 363 pivoted on the lower end of a 5 lever 365 actuated by a cam on the main shaft of the machine. The channel guide is thus actuated to rock about the axis of the stud 35! and, by reason of the connection with the cam operated lever 365' it is moved forwardly a short dis- 30 tance before each lateral feeding movement of the needle takes place to relieve its pressure against the root of the channel lip to facilitate the feeding of the work.

The guide !!4 for the pleater 1 is supported by 35 the bracket 399 which carries the sole engaging foot 33! or the channel guide 355 as the case may be, and since this bracket is adjusted laterally of the machine with the needle in the manner previously referred to, the result is obtained 40 that whenever a change in the feed length is made, both the sole engaging foot 33! or channel guide 355 and the pleater 1 retain their original positions close by the side of the needle thus ensuring that the pleater will operate to.

' form the pleats on the work at the most desirable position relatively to the'needle, it actually advancing as previously described over the rearward end of the sole engaging foot 33! when this is used and, when the channel guide has been substituted for that foot, the pleater operating to lay the margin of the upper directly against the margin of the sole.

In Figures 12 to 15 is illustrated an external worksupporting structure embodying the prin cipal novel features of the structure illustrated in Figure 2 hereinbefore described, but modified to render it simpler, stronger, more durable and better adapted for high speed operation.

- In this construction the external work support, indicated at 365, is mounted on the rear ends of substantially parallel links, the forwards ends of which are pivoted on a vertically yielding supporting frame. The parallel links upon which the work support 365 is mounted comprises two 65 links 369 arranged side by side and pivoted at their rear ends to the mid-portion of the support 365 and a curved link 31! lying below the links 369 and pivoted at its rear end to the lower end of the work support 365. At their for- 70 ward ends, the links 369 and 31! are pivotally mounted on the forward ends of rearwardly extending and substantially parallel links 313 and 315 which, at their rear ends, are pivoted to the main frame of the machine at 311 and 319. At 75 their forward ends the links 313 and 315 are trunnion sleeve 395.

connected by a link 98! so that the links 313, 315 and 38! form a supporting frame or carrier mounted for vertical movement on the main frame of the-machine. At its forward end, thi carrier is yieldingly supported, as will be herein- 5 after described.

Midway of the link 31! and pivoted thereto is a-link 383 which extends rearwardly to connect with the lower end of an arm 385 depending from a rock shaft 381. A forwardly and downwardly extending arm 389 also fast on the rock shaft 381 is connected to the lower end of a cam-operated rod 39! corresponding to the rod 23 of the construction illustrated in Figure 2. The arrangement of the parts just described is 5 such thatrising and falling movements of the rod 39! cause rocking of the shaft 381 which, through the arm 385 and link 383, imparts turning movements to the link 31! about the pivotal connection at its forward end with the forward ends of the link 315. The link 31! is somewhat .shorter than the links 369, and the proportion and arrangements of the links 31! and 369 are such that rising and falling movements are imparted to the work support 365 and also oscillating movements about the pivotal connection of the support with the link 369. As a result of these movements, the upper end of .the support 365 moves in a path very similar to that of the upper end of the support 33 illustrated in Figure 2 '30.

and hereinbefore described.

As has been stated, the frame or carrier comprising the links 313, 315 and 38! is .yieldingly supported at its forward end, means being provided for adjusting the height of the forward end of the frame, and thus also the height of the work support 365 indirectly carried thereby. By supporting the forward end of the frame yieldingly a means is provided whereby-the work sup- .port 365 may yield in its' upward movement 40 should it commence to press the sole of a'shoe upwardly in too firm a manner. To support the forward end of the frame, a pair of ears 393 project forwardly from the mid-portion of the link 36! and embrace opposite sides of a threaded Threaded into this sleeve 395 and extending downwardly therefrom is the upper and reduced end of another sleeve 391, a thin washer 399 secured to the upper face of the sleeve serving to prevent the latter from being .unscrewed out of engagement with the trunnion sleeve 395. A vertical rod 49! passing axiallythrough the sleeve 391 and provided with nuts 493 on its upper end is located at its lower end in normally fixed relation to the frame of the machine and serves by means of the'said nuts to locate the sleeve 391 in a vertical position relatively to the machine frame. A spring 495 bears at its upper end against a shoulder formed inside the sleeve 391 and serves to hold the upper face 0 of the sleeve against; the lower end of the nuts 493 in a yielding manner. Should the resistance encountered by the support 365 become excessive the link 38! will be urged downwardly and through the trunnion sleeve 395 and the sleeve 391 compress the spring 495. By'turning the sleeve 391 the trunnion sleeve 395. may be caused to take up a position higher or lower on the threaded portion of the sleeve 391 and since the latter remains in a fixed vertical, position (unless caused to yield as just described) serves to impart initial vertical adjustment to the support 365. The lower end of the. vertical rod 49! is of considerably increased diameter and is housed in the lower end of another sleeve 491 which at 7 4| 1 threaded into the sleeve this locality is pivotally mounted in a pair of transversely extending pins 409 secured in the machine frame. A reduction in the diameter of the bore in the sleeve 40! provides a shoulder a reduced and lower portion of this sleeve being received within the bore in the sleeve 401. A pin 5 and extending into a vertical slot ,9 in the sleeve 40! limits relative turning movements of the sleeves whilst allowing of relative axial displacement. As the sleeve 4J3 is adjusted to a position further up or lower down the sleeve 401, the sleeve 5 through its engagement with the taper bore in the sleeve 3 will be likewise adjusted, an internal shoulder formed therein which provides a seating for the lower end of the spring 485 serving to increase or decrease the amount of compression in the latter. The taper bore and the corresponding face it engages with aforementioned also serve as a friction device to prevent unintentional rotation of the adjusting sleeve 3, whilst the trunnion sleeve 395 is split vertically at its forward side and is clamped by means of a screw 42l upon and thus prevents rotation of, the sleeve 391. -Graduations marked around the periphery of the adjusting sleeve 4| 3 serve to give an indication, of the amount of compression the spring -receives as the sleeve 3 is rotatably adjusted and also of the amount of yield taking place as the support 365 rises to clamp the work. The enlarged lower end of the vertical rod 401 is slotted in a direction forwardly and rearwardly of the machine to provide a pair of cars 423 through which (at right angles to the slot) a pin 425 is located to engage a forked end of a 'rearwardly extending lever (not shown) which, when rockedin a suitable direction by treadle or other mechanism, causes the rod 40! to be drawn downwardly. By means of the nuts 403 threaded upon the upper end of the rod, the link 38| will also be lowered as before described, this movement being transmitted to the support 365 to enable work to be presented to the machine at the commencement of the sewing operation.

The nature and scope of the several features of the invention having been indicated, and embodiments of the invention having been specifically described, what is claimed is:

l. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, and means for actuatlng the work'support to move its work engaging surface away from said last mentioned sole surface and transversely of the direction of feed away from the center line of the shoe during each stitch forming and work feeding cycle to relieve the pressure of the work support on the upper during the feed of the work.

2. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination,

stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface 0pposite the sewing point, and means for actuating the work support to move its work engaging surface away from said last mentioned sole surface in a path substantially perpendicular to said surface and then transversely of the direction of feed away from the center line of the shoe in a path substantially parallel to said surface during each stitch forming and work feeding cycle to relieve the pressure of the work support on the upper. during the feed of the work.

3. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination,

stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one sur face of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, a carrier on which the work support is mounted, means for moving the carrier with the work support towards and away from said last mentioned sole surface, and connections actuated from the carrier during its movement away from said sole surface for actuating the work support to moveits work engaging surface transversely of the direction of feed away from the center line of the shoe.

4. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, a carrier upon which the work support is pivotally mounted, means for moving the carrier with the work support towards and'from the work, a cam plate pivotally mounted in the carrier, and connected to the work support, and means for swinging the cam plate about its pivot during the movement of the carrier away from the work to swing the work support about its pivotal connection with the carrier and move the Work engaging surface of the work support transversely to the direction of feed away from the center line of the shoe.

5. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of the upper while unsupported on a last, having in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter a margin from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to move towards and from the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, and links on which the support is mounted proportioned and arranged to cause the work engaging surface of the work support to move away from said last mentioned sole surface, in a path extending transversely of the direction of feed and away from the center line of the shoe.

6. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of the upper while unsupported-on a last, having in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curvedneedle arranged to pass through the sole, an external work support arranged to move towards and from the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, and'links on which-the support is mounted proportioned and arranged to center line of the shoe and .parallel to said surface.

7. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper-while unsupported on alast having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, a carrier upon which the external work support is mounted, mechanism unconnected with the carrier for moving the work support towards and; from the work, and a spring supporting the carrier and permitting the carrier to yield after the work support engages the work.

8. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having; in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge fromone surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, a carrier upon which the external work support is mounted, mechanism unconnected with the carrier for moving the work support towards and from the work, a spring supporting the carrier and permitting the carrier to yield after the work support engages the work, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring while maintaining the carrier at the same distance from the work.

9. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feedingdevices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, a carrier upon which the external work support is mounted, mechanism unconnected with the carrier for moving the work support towards and from the work, a spring supporting the carrier and permitting the carrier to yield after the work support engages the work, and means for adjusting the carrier towards and from the work while maintaining a constant tension on the spring.

10. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface op posite the sewing point, a carrier upon which the external work support is mounted, mechanism unconnected with the carrier for moving the work support towards and from the work, a spring supporting the carrier and permitting the car- 'rier to yield after the work support engages the work, and means for independently adjusting the tension of the spring and the distance of the carrier from the work.

11. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the sewing point, substantially parallel links on -which the support is mounted, a carrier on which the links are mounted comprising parallel links, a fixed support for one end of the links, and means for yieldlngly supporting the other end of the links.

12.A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, a presser-foot engaging said surface and provided with a portion extending beneath the overlapping margin of the upper into proximity with the edge of the sole, and an external work support arranged to press the upper against the other sole surface opposite the work engaging surface of the pr'esser-foot, said work support being provided with a work engaging surface extending substantially to the edge of the shoe sole.

13. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, a pressure-foot engaging said surface and provided with a portion extending across theline of the seam, and means for supporting said presser-foot permitting a movement of the presser-foot transversely of the seam line near the end of the sewing of a seam in which the biginning and end stitches overlap.

14. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, a presser-foot engaging said surface and provided with a portion extending across the line of the seam, and means for moving said presserfoot transversely of the seam line during the continued operation of the machine in finishing a seam in which the beginning and end stitches overlap..

15. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved needle arranged to pass through the upper and enter and emerge from one surface of the sole, means for actuating the needle to feed the work having provision for adjustment to vary the extent of feeding movement, a presser-foot engaging said surface provided with a portion extending transversely of the line of feed in close proximity to the needle, and means for adjusting the presser-foot in the line of feed.

16. A machine for sewing together a shoe sole and the overlapping margin of an upper while unsupported on a last having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices in:

cluding a curved needle arranged to pass through 75 

